The major political parties in Teignbridge have outlined their plans and ambitions were they to gain control of the council in May’s elections.

The current ruling Conservatives, opposition Liberal Democrats, and the Labour Party, who currently have no councillors but came second in the 2017 General Election, have all revealed their manifestos.

The council is currently run by the Conservative Party, who hold 22 seats, with the Liberal Democrats holding 16, the Independents six, with one vacant seat. A further seat is currently held by Jacquie Orme, who is still listed as a Conservative on the council website, but is standing as an Independent in the elections and sat with the Independents at last Thursday’s full council meeting.

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Liberal Democrats plan to prioritise genuinely affordable housing to buy and rent for locals, to work closely with the police and all other agencies to rid our streets of anti-social behaviour and to be environmentally pro-active.

The Labour Party say that austerity has had a devastating impact on local services, and that they would actively support the building of local authority homes to rent, oppose the closure of the services currently offered by Teignmouth, Dawlish or Newton Abbot Hospitals and use local residents and businesses rather than consultants in developing Town Plans.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service takes a look at what the political parties have said they will do.

CONSERVATIVES

The Teignbridge Conservative team

The Conservatives’ manifesto highlights a host of achievements and pledges around six key themes:

Delivering value for money and keeping council tax down

Helping low-income families and supporting the most vulnerable

Improving recycling and ending domestic waste going to landfill

Creating jobs, boosting skills and helping businesses

Securing infrastructure investment and boosting our cycle network

Helping families to lead active lives

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Cllr Jeremy Christophers, the current leader of the council, said: “We have made great strides since taking over from the disastrous Lib Dem/Independent coalition in 2011 and we’re keen to build on this positive progress and make Teignbridge an even better place in which to live and work.

“Our manifesto sets out how we will continue to provide quality public services over the next four years, while ensuring value for money and keeping council tax as low as possible.

“As part of our ambitious plans, we will work to secure even more infrastructure investment and help to deliver a new road from Drumbridges to Newton Abbot, link roads around Newton Abbot and Dawlish and safe cycle routes across the district.

“We will also keep car parking charges as some of the lowest in Devon to encourage residents to shop locally, invest in more sites to support business growth, promote skills and training for higher-wage jobs and use the latest technology to promote our high streets.”

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

Teignbridge Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrat priorities for Teignbridge are:

genuinely affordable homes to buy or to rent for local people and tougher negotiations with developers;

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Cllr Gordon Hook, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, added: “We value our public services and will defend them at every opportunity. We will never forget it’s your money we are spending and we will be financially prudent. There will be no “vanity projects” paid for by the taxpayer, such as expensive pop concerts at Powderham Castle.”

They added that they will work with communities and town and parish councils to deliver for residents, will bring meetings to our towns and devolve activity away from the council offices in Newton Abbot, and that their priorities are to secure affordable housing to buy and rent, improve recycling, and combat climate change.

Teignbridge Council's Forde House HQ

LABOUR

Although they currently hold no council seats, the Labour Party in Teignbridge are confident that they can help to deliver real change and the results of the 2017 General Election, where they finished second behind the Conservatives in the constituency, shows that support in growing and they can win seats.

In the May 2019 elections, we have the opportunity to break the stranglehold of Conservative & Liberal Democrat dogma and offer a programme that, through simple cost effective changes, can effect a real and lasting change to the way in which we manage our local services, a spokesman said.

Newton Says No, a pressure group, rather than a political party, are fielding four candidates in the election, all of whom are standing as Independents. Kirk Field is standing in the Bushell ward, Janet Bradford and Liam Mullone in the College ward, and Richard Daws in the Ambrook ward.

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The candidates intend to consign the Local Plan to history, with policies that include scrapping the Local Plan, protecting Newton Abbot’s beautifully and scientifically important places, subjecting the council to a full audit, not allowing any more houses to be built with the associated infrastructure, and to save the High Street.

UKIP are fielding 10 candidates, the Green Party six, while other Independent candidates are standing across the district.